NATS Server: Incomplete fix for CVE-2026-33249: Leaf node connections bypass Nats-Trace-Dest permission check
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · Low · Low
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-863.
Summary
NATS Server is a high-performance server for NATS.io, the cloud and edge native messaging system. Prior to 2.14.3 and 2.12.8, message trace destination checks were applied to ordinary client connections but not consistently to messages arriving through leafnode connections, allowing a leafnode operator to send trace events to subjects that would not otherwise be permitted and to use trace-only behavior to prevent normal delivery or storage of affected messages. This issue is fixed in versions 2.14.3 and 2.12.8.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA nats-server (nats-io) Fixed in 2.12.8, 2.14.3
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2026:36017 Released 2026-07-06 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update
- Red Hat Hardened Images nats-server2-12-main@aarch64, nats-server2-12-main@src, nats-server2-12-main@x86_64
- RHSA-2026:36016 Released 2026-07-06 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update
- Red Hat Hardened Images nats-server2-14-main@aarch64, nats-server2-14-main@src, nats-server2-14-main@x86_64
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Hardened Images | Fixed | RHSA-2026:36016, RHSA-2026:36017 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-58254
References
More backstage Nats-server vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-22233 NATS: Pre-auth remote server crash via WebSocket frame length overflow in wsRead CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2022-11116 NATS nats-server 2.2.0 through 2.7.4 allows directory traversal because of an unintended… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2020-16319 The JWT library in NATS nats-server before 2.1.9 has Incorrect Access Control because of… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-25637 NATS has MQTT plaintext password disclosure CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.6
- TI-2022-08320 NATS nats-server before 2.7.2 has Incorrect Access Control. CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-41950 NATS Server: Pre-auth server crash via double INFO in leafnode handshake CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-58254 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-58254 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- CVE-2026-58254 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences